Week 1 Getting engaged with Latin America

Introduction to the course.

First assignment: watch the movies THE MISSION (1986) & THE MOTORCYCLE DIARIES (2004)

Both movies portray different moments in the history of Latin America.

Be prepared to discuss the central aspects of the two movies on the first assignment.

Week 2  Latin America. From Conquest to Modern Times

Skidmore, Thomas E. and Peter H. Smith 1984. Modern Latin America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 1 (pp. 15-45).

Vanden, Harry and Gary Prevost 2009. Politics of Latin America. The Power Game. Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 2 (pp. 19-40).

Week 3 Definitions and Conceptual issues I. What is Democracy?

1. The Birth of Democracy.

Video: The Greeks. The Crucible of Civilization. PBS  documentary via Hesburgh Library http://whiv.alexanderstreet.com/View/915899

Hornblower, Simon 1992. “The Creation and Development of Democratic Institutions in Ancient Greece,” chapter 1 (pp. 1-16),  in John Dunn 1992 Democracy the Unfinished Journey 508 BC to AD 1993. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

1. Contemporary Democracy

Dahl, Robert 1998. On Democracy New Haven: Yale University Press, chapters 4, 5 & 8 (pp. 35-61 & 83-99).

O’Donnell, Guillermo 2010. Democracy, Agency and the State. Theory with Comparative Intent. Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 1 (pp. 13-29). 

Recommended:

Collier, David and Steven Levitsky 1996 “Democracy ‘with Adjectives’: Conceptual Innovation in Comparative Research,” Kellogg Institute Working Paper #230 – August. http://kellogg.nd.edu/publications/workingpapers/WPS/230.pdf

Week 4 Definitions and Conceptual issues II. What is Development?

1. What is Development?

Soubbotina, Tatyana 2000. Beyond Economic Growth. Meeting the Challenges of Global Development. Washington DC: World Bank. Chapters 1 & 2 (pp. 7-15).

http://www.worldbank.org/depweb/beyond/beyondco/beg_all.pdf

Hirschman, Albert O. 1981. Essays in Tresspassing. Economics to Politics and Beyond. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, chapter 1 (pp. 1-33) (“The Rise and Decline of Development Economics”)

Recommended:

Evans, Peter  1992. “The State as a Problem and as a Solution: Predation, Embedded Autonomy, and Structural Change,” in Haggard, Stephen and Robert R. Kauffman eds. The Politics of Economic Adjustment, Princeton: Princeton University Press, chapter 3 (pp. 139-181). 

Gerschenkron, Alexander 1962. Economic Backwardness in Historical Perspective. A Book of Essays. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, chapter 2 (pp. 31-51), (“Reflections on the Concept of ‘Prerequisites’ of Modern Industrialization.”)

1. New Perspectives on Development

Videos:  

Amartya Sen interview (5:5).

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid43942729001?bctid=658140244001

People First: The Human Development Reports (9:39)

http://hdr.undp.org/en/mediacentre/videos/humandev/

Sen, Amartya  1999. Development as Freedom. New York: Knopf. Introduction (pp. 3-11).

The UN Intellectual History Project 2009. The UN and Human Development. Briefing # 9 (pp. 1-6).

http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/Jolly%20HDR%20note%20%20UN%20Intellectual%20History%20Project%208HumDev.pdf

Cohen, Jessica and William Easterly eds. 2009. What Works in Development?  Thinking Big and Thinking Small. Washington DC: Brookings Institution Press. Chapters 1 (pp.1-23) & 2 (by Dani Rodrik,  pp. 24-54) .

Recommended:

Sen, Amartya  1999. Development as Freedom. New York: Knopf, chapters 1, 2, 3 & 4.

Week 5 Democracy and Development in Latin America. General Overview.

1. In Search of a Development Project I

Lehmann, David 1990. Democracy and Development in Latin America. Economics, Politics and Religion in the Post-War Period. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. Chapters 1 & 2 (pp. 1-87).

Skidmore, Thomas E. and Peter H. Smith (1984) Modern Latin America. Oxford: Oxford University Press, chapter 2 (pp. 46-69).

1. In Search of a Development Project II.

Movie: EVITA (1996, on Argentina and Populism)

Week 6 Modernization and Authoritarianism

1. What went wrong with democracy and development in Latin America?

O’Donnell, Guillermo 1973 Modernization and Bureaucratic-Authoritarianism. Studies in South American Politics. Berkeley: University of California Press. Chapter 2 (pp. 51-114).

1. The emergence of Bureaucratic Authoritarianism.

Collier, David ed. 1979 The New Authoritarianism in Latin America. Princeton: Princeton University Press, Introduction & chapter 1 (pp. 3-32 “Overview of the Bureaucratic-Authoritarian Model”).

O’D 1999, chapter 2 (pp. 35-47 “Tensions in the Bureaucratic-Authoritarian State and the Question of Democracy”).

Week 7 Breakdown of Democratic Regimes

1. Conceptual issues (lecture).

Movies:  MISSING  (1982, on Chile)

                 MACHUCA (2004, on Chile)

                 LA NOCHE DE LOS LAPICES (1986, “Night of the Pencils,” on Argentina)

O’Donnell  1999, chapter 3 (pp.51-62 “Democracy in Argentina. Macro and Micro”).

Recommended:

Linz, Juan J.  and Alfred Stepan eds. 1978. The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes. Baltimore and London: John Hopkins University Press. Part I: “Crisis, Breakdown, and Reequilibration,”(pp. 3- 124)

1. A paradigmatic case of democratic breakdown: Chile

Valenzuela, Arturo 1978 “CHILE” in Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan eds. 1978. The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes. Baltimore and London: John Hopkins University Press. Part IV (pp. i- 137).

Week 8 Wrap-up

Questions and answers

Week 9: Mid-term

Week 10 Transitions from Authoritarian Rule

1. Conceptual issues (lecture)

Movie: THE OFFICIAL STORY (1985, on Argentina)

O’D 1999,  chapter 6 (pp. 109-129 “Notes for the Study of  Processes of Democratization in the Wake of the Bureaucratic-Authoritarian State”)

Recommended:

O’Donnell, Guillermo and Philippe C. Schmitter 1986. Transitions from Authoritarian Rule. Tentative Conclusions about Uncertain Democracies. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press, (pp. i-96).

1. Comparative Perspective and Outliers: Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Mainwaring, Scott and Eduardo Viola 1984 “Transitions to Democracy: Argentina and Brazil in the 1980s,” Kellogg Institute, University of Notre Dame. Working paper #21. http://kellogg.nd.edu/publications/workingpapers/WPS/021.pdf

Magaloni, Beatriz 2005. “The Demise of Mexico’s One-Party Dominant Regime” in Hagopian, Frances and Scott Mainwaring eds. The Third Wave of Democratization in Latin America: Advances and Setbacks. New York: Cambridge University Press, chapter 4 (pp. 121- 146).

Week 11 Issues in Democratization I

1. The Quality of New Democracies.

O’Donnell 1999,  chapter 8 (pp. 159-173“Delegative Democracy”),  chapter 9 (pp. 175-194“Illusions about Consolidation”), and chapter 7 (pp. 133-157 “On the State, Democratization and Some Conceptual Problems. A Latin American View with Glances at Some Postcommunist Countries”).

1. Civil Society and the (un)Rule of Law

Peruzzotti, Enrique and Catalina Smulovitz 2006. “Social Accountability: An Introduction,” in Peruzzotti,  Enrique and Catalina Smulovitz eds. Enforcing the Rule of Law. Social Accountability in the New Latin American Democracies. Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh University Press, chapter 1 (pp. 3-33).

Gonzalez Ocantos, Ezequiel (2014). “Persuade Them or Oust Them: Crafting Judicial Change and Transitional Justice in Argentina,” Comparative Politics, Volume 46, Number 4, July 2014, pp. 479-498(20)

Week 12 Issues in Democratization II

a) Democracy in the Andes

Mainwaring, Scott 2006. “The Crisis of Representation in the Andes,” in Journal of Democracy. July Vol. 17 # 3, pp. 13-27. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press.

http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_democracy/v017/17.3mainwaring.html

Van Cott, Donna Lee 2007. “Latin America’s Indigenous Peoples,” in Journal of Democracy. October Vol. 18 # 4, pp. 127-142. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_democracy/v018/18.4van-cott.html

b)After Neoliberalism: New Left Governments and Populism

Cleary, Matthew R.  2006. “Explaining the Left’s Resurgence,” in Journal of Democracy. October Vol. 17 # 4, pp. 35-49. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_democracy/v017/17.4cleary.html

Schamis, Hector E. 2006. “Populism, Socialism, and Democratic Institutions,” in Journal of Democracy. October Vol. 17 # 4, pp. 20-34. Baltimore: John Hopkins University Press. http://journalofdemocracy.org/articles/gratis/Schamis-17-4.pdf

Coppedge, Michael 2005. “Explaining Democratic Deterioration in Venezuela Through Nested Inference,” in Hagopian, Frances and Scott Mainwaring eds. The Third Wave of Democratization in Latin America: Advances and Setbacks. New York: Cambridge University Press, chapter 10 (pp. 289-316).

Recommended:

Walker, Ignacio 2008. “Democracy and Populism in Latin America,” Kellogg Institute Working Paper #347–April.

http://kellogg.nd.edu/publications/workingpapers/WPS/347.pdf

Week 13 Issues in Democratization III

a) Assessing Poverty and Inequality

Movies:  CITY OF GOD (2002, on Brazil)

                 MARIA, FULL OF GRACE (2004, on Colombia)

O’D 1999,  chapter 10 (pp. 195- 215, “Poverty and Inequality in Latin America”).

SMTS 2009,  chapter 4 (pp. 129-154 Foxley, Alejandro “More Market or More State for Latin America? A Reflection for the Post-Crisis”).

SMTS 2009,  chapter 5 (pp. 155- 209 Huber, Evelyne and John D S. Stephens “Successful Policy Regimes? Political Economy, Politics, and Social Policy in Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Costa Rica”).     

b)New Prospects for Democracy and Human Development in Latin America

SMTS 2009, chapter 11 (pp. 365-395, Mainwaring Scott and Timothy Scully “Democratic Governance in Latin America: Eleven Lessons from Recent Experience.”)

UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) 2004 Democracy in Latin America. Towards a Citizen’s Democracy.

http://www.votb.org/elsalvador/Reports/Report_Democracy_in_Latin_America_New.pdf

Human Development Report 2024

Week 14 Second Exam

Week 15 Students’ Presentations of Case Studies

Week 16 Students’ Presentations of Case Studies

* Recommended readings and movies for students’ presentations.

xpectations, Requirements, and Grading

The course will combine lectures and active participation. Active participation requires that participants complete the assignments (readings, movies or video clips) as suggested for each class.

Attendance will have an impact in the final grade as well as active participation in class. Late arrivals past the 15’ will be considered half-absence. However, I would rather have students come late than being a no-show.

Grading will be based on the following:

Mid-term exam: 30 %

Second exam: 30%

Special presentation and overall participation: 40%

Each exam will be “in class” and will involve answering one question out of two. Books are allowed during the exam.  

The special presentation will have the format of a 20’ class on a country of choice. I expect teams of two participants. The goal of this special presentation is to gain in-depth knowledge of a country and discuss in comparative terms whether it fits or differs from the general trends in the region we will address during the course.  All presentations should include Power Point.

Laptops, Cell Phones, Etc. 

Laptops are allowed for taking notes. No cell phones whatsoever during class.

Movies 

This course will include movies and when indicated they are required assignment as are other videos, clips and readings.

Late Exams

Since both exams are scheduled to be held in class, a no show-up needs to be justified with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. If there is a reasonable cause, I will set a new date for the exam.

Readings

Anderson, Leslie. 2010. Social Capital in Developing Democracies: Nicaragua and Argentina Compared. Cambridge: Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 Brysk, Alison. 1994. The politics of human rights in Argentina : protest, change, and democratization: Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press.

Brinks, Daniel M. 2007. Judicial Response to Police Killings in Latin America: Inequality and the Rule of Law. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Cameron, Maxwell A. 1994a. Democracy and authoritarianism in Peru : political coalitions and social change: New York : St. Martin's Press.

———. 1994b. Democracy and authoritarianism in Peru : political coalitions and social change: New York : St. Martin's Press.

Cameron, Maxwell A., and Eric Hershberg. 2010. Latin America's left turns : politics, policies, and trajectories of change: Boulder Colo. : Lynne Rienner Publishers.

Conaghan, Catherine M. "Ecuador: Correa's Plebiscitary Presidency." Journal of Democracy 19 (2):46-60.

Haggard, Stephan, and Robert R. Kaufman. 1992. The Politics of economic adjustment : international constraints, distributive conflicts, and the state: Princeton, N.J. : Princeton University Press.

Hunter, Wendy, and Timothy J. Power. "Lula's Brazil at Midterm." Journal of Democracy 16 (3):127-39.

Kenney, Charles. 2004. Fujimori's coup and the breakdown of democracy in Latin America: Notre Dame, Ind. : University of Notre Dame Press.

Levitsky, Steven. "Organization and Labor-Based Party Adaptation: The Transformation of Argentine Peronism in Comparative Perspective." World Politics 54 (1):27-56.

Levitsky, Steven, and Maria Victoria Murillo. "Argentina: From Kirchner to Kirchner." Journal of Democracy 19 (2):16-30.

Levy, Daniel C., Kathleen Bruhn, Emilio Zebadúa, and Emilio Zebadua. 2001. Mexico : the struggle for democratic development: Berkeley : University of California Press.

Mainwaring, Scott. "The Crisis of Representation in the Andes." Journal of Democracy 17 (3):13-27.

Mainwaring, Scott, Ana María Bejarano, and Eduardo Pizarro Leongómez. 2006. The crisis of democratic representation in the Andes: Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press.

Mainwaring, Scott, Douglas A. Chalmers, and Alfred C. Stepan. 2012. Problems confronting contemporary democracies essays in honor of Alfred Stepan: Notre Dame, Ind. : University of Notre Dame Press.

Mainwaring, Scott, and Timothy Scully. 1995. Building democratic institutions : party systems in Latin America: Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press.

Mainwaring, Scott, and Matthew Soberg Shugart. 1997. Presidentialism and democracy in Latin America: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press.

McClintock, Cynthia. "An Unlikely Comeback in Peru." Journal of Democracy 17 (4):95-109.

McGuire, James W. 1997. Peronism without Perón : unions, parties, and democracy in Argentina: Stanford, Calif. : Stanford University Press.

———. 2010. Wealth, health, and democracy in East Asia and Latin America: New York : Cambridge University Press.

Murillo, Maria Victoria. 2001. Labor unions, partisan coalitions and market reforms in Latin America: Cambridge, UK ; New York, NY, USA : Cambridge University Press.

O'Donnell, Guillermo A. 2007. Dissonances : democratic critiques of democracy: Notre Dame, Ind. : University of Notre Dame Press.

Posada Carbó, Eduardo. "Colombia Hews to the Path of Change." Journal of Democracy 17 (4):80-94.

Power, Timothy J., and Matthew MacLeod Taylor. 2011. Corruption and democracy in Brazil : the struggle for accountability: Notre Dame, Ind. : University of Notre Dame Press.

Schedler, Andreas. "The Mobilization of Distrust." Journal of Democracy 18 (1):88-102.

Selee, Andrew D., and Enrique Peruzzotti. 2009. Participatory innovation and representative democracy in Latin America: Washington, D.C. : Woodrow Wilson Center Press ; Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press.

Snyder, Richard. 1999. Institutional adaptation and innovation in rural Mexico: La Jolla : Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, University of California, San Diego.

Sola, Lourdes. "Politics, Markets, and Society in Lula's Brazil." Journal of Democracy 19 (2):31-45.

Stein, Ernesto, Mariano Tommasi, Carlos G. Scartascini, and Pablo T. Spiller. 2008. Policymaking in Latin America : how politics shapes policies: Washington, DC : Inter-American Development Bank ; Cambridge, MA : David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.

Stepan, Alfred C. 1989. )xford University Press.

Valenzuela, Arturo. "Latin American Presidencies Interrupted." Journal of Democracy 15 (4):5-19.

Valenzuela, Arturo, and Lucía Dammert. "Problems of Success in Chile." Journal of Democracy 17 (4):65-79.

Van Cott, Donna Lee. 2005. From movements to parties in Latin America : the evolution of ethnic politics: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press.

———. 2008. Radical democracy in the Andes: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press.

Weyland, Kurt Gerhard, Raúl L. Madrid, and Wendy Hunter. 2010. Leftist governments in Latin America : successes and shortcomings: New York : Cambridge University Press.

Movies

Che (2009, on Argentina and Latin America)

Dawson Isla 10 (on Chile)

Fidel Castro (2005, on Cuba)

Men with Guns (1998, on Guatemala)

Our Brand is Crisis (2005, on Bolivia)

State of Fear (2005, on Peru)

The Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985, on Brazil)

The revolution will not will Not be Televised (2003, on Venezuela)